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Thinking about cultural appropriation
Nov. 28th, 2011 10:10 pmDo you ever have a gut-twisting thought that just doesn't seem right, but won't go away, either?
I've been thinking about cultural appropriation in relation to my interest in Balkan dancing and singing. Is my interest, at some level, appropriative?
If so, what interests would be clean for me? Israeli dancing, since my heritage is Jewish? Square dancing, because I was born in the US? German folk dancing, because my grandparents came from Germany? I was invited to join a local German dance group, and politely but firmly declined. Their flashy turning dances and oom-pa music don't interest me at all.
The last three generations of my family were born on three different continents. (Just before WWII my grandparents fled to Chile, because that's where they could get in, and that's why I exist at all.) I moved another 3000 miles across the US, and then again north to Portland. I feel displaced and rootless as it is, without trying to align my interests with some kind of blood-right.
Does anyone know of resources that address these questions? There must be a line somewhere between obvious cultural appropriation and multicultural interests, but I don't know where it is. I've read a little bit about third-culture kids, which seems related.
ETA: One of the reasons this question feels gut-twisting is that the international folk music I grew up with feels more like home to me than any location or tradition or person.
I've been thinking about cultural appropriation in relation to my interest in Balkan dancing and singing. Is my interest, at some level, appropriative?
If so, what interests would be clean for me? Israeli dancing, since my heritage is Jewish? Square dancing, because I was born in the US? German folk dancing, because my grandparents came from Germany? I was invited to join a local German dance group, and politely but firmly declined. Their flashy turning dances and oom-pa music don't interest me at all.
The last three generations of my family were born on three different continents. (Just before WWII my grandparents fled to Chile, because that's where they could get in, and that's why I exist at all.) I moved another 3000 miles across the US, and then again north to Portland. I feel displaced and rootless as it is, without trying to align my interests with some kind of blood-right.
Does anyone know of resources that address these questions? There must be a line somewhere between obvious cultural appropriation and multicultural interests, but I don't know where it is. I've read a little bit about third-culture kids, which seems related.
ETA: One of the reasons this question feels gut-twisting is that the international folk music I grew up with feels more like home to me than any location or tradition or person.
